3D Camera is an Android application that allows you to photograph objects and scenes in three dimensions (stereoscopy) using 1 or 2 smartphones. It then lets you align and crop the right and left photos, create slideshows, and project them on a 3D TV or a 3D projector

Android 10 and above

I make 3D Camera available for free on the Google Play Store. I hope you will soon become as passionate about it as I am!

Stereoscopy allows you to recreate a sense of depth by taking 2 photos: one for the right eye and one for the left eye, separated by a distance roughly equivalent to the distance between the 2 eyes. This technique was born very shortly after the invention of photography!

Join the SCF club (Stéréo Club Français) or browse their website

The application is available in French and English

The camera uses quite a lot of battery in general. And the "Sync Priority" mode uses the ZSL (Zero Shutter Lag) function which continuously takes photos in order to pick one that corresponds almost exactly to the moment the shutter was pressed, therefore consuming even more battery. If you are going out for the day and don't have the possibility to recharge, I recommend having a backup battery. It is also possible to swap the two phones during the day since the one on the right consumes more (it does more image processing)

No, 3D Camera works entirely offline

each image (left/right) is 12 Mpx. This is the Android API standard. So for a side-by-side photo, 24 Mpx.

3D Camera allows you to take two successive photos and then automatically combines the two photos into a single side-by-side photo

It is preferable to move the smartphone to the right by a few centimeters between the two photos while avoiding rotating the smartphone as much as possible. It's best not to take too long to prevent the subject from moving between the two photos!

On the camera screen, go to the 3-dot menu and select the desired format

Firstly, it is preferable to take two identical smartphones.
Secondly, not all smartphones are equal when it comes to photography: some give more or less access to the different lenses, which means the photos will be of better or worse quality in ultra-wide angle and telephoto.
Thirdly: the ZSL (Zero Shutter Lag) function is far from being implemented in all smartphones and it is the key to well-synchronized photos.

I currently use 2 Samsung S23 after having tested the Samsung S22, S21 and Pixel 9. The S22 does not allow ZSL on the wide-angle lens, nor on the telephoto lens. The S21 does not allow access to the telephoto lens. Google's Pixel 9 is not compatible with ZSL mode

It is not very important to have good synchronization to photograph (truly) still objects. But as soon as an object has moved between the two shots, the photo will hurt your eyes when viewed in 3D. It's not just cars or living beings that move. It can be a cloud, the wind in the grass or in the leaves!

3D Camera allows you to choose between several modes in the 3-dot menu of the camera screen. Depending on your smartphones' capabilities, some modes will be grayed out. The "Sync Priority" mode is the one that allows the best photo synchronization.

With my 3D printer, I made a plastic case that allows me to slide the two smartphones one behind the other. It's very practical because it allows you to adjust the spacing between the two lenses (stereoscopic base) and it's very compact. It's also easy to take out one of the smartphones to do hyper-stereo (a base wider than the eye spacing to give more depth to distant subjects)

The two images, left and right, are slightly different. They do not overlap completely. However, it is possible to align them: that is, to have certain points superimposed when the two images are displayed together. During a 3D projection, the superimposed points will be displayed in the plane of the screen. Closer objects will be displayed in front (pop-out) and more distant objects will appear to be displayed behind. Often, alignment is done on the object closest to the photographer.

A pop-out effect is an alignment that is not done on the object closest to the photographer, but on an intermediate object. This has the consequence that the closest object "comes out of the screen". It is said to be in pop-out.

Pop-out effects must be planned at the time of shooting. It is necessary that the object closest to the photographer (the one you want to make pop out through alignment) is not on the edge of the photo but in the middle.

Go to the 3D gallery to choose the photo to align. Edit the photo. The two images will appear superimposed in anaglyph (one blue, the other red). Move the right image with your finger or press the up / down / left / right buttons

Yes, in the menu of the editing screen, there are two automatic alignment options: "Affine auto-alignment" and "Homographic auto-alignment". If you are certain that your photos were taken without changing the orientation of your smartphones (parallel aiming), generally the affine auto-alignment gives good results: it will correct a difference in zoom factor and any rotation of the sensor. The "homographic" version takes into account other degrees of freedom. It can distort the depth and sometimes generates hallucinations. But it can help recover certain photos, especially those taken with the ultra-wide angle which hurt the eyes.

Yes. With each new modification, an edited x version of your photo is created. The raw version always remains unless you explicitly delete it

I recommend purchasing a USB-C/HDMI adapter. It will allow you to connect your smartphone to a 3D TV or a 3D projector. Not only will you be able to use it for your slideshows but also to align / resize your photos

There are two ways to import side-by-side JPEGs (a photo with the left and right photos side by side) in full width or half width. 1 - From your PC via a USB cable you can drop photos into the application's directories. 2 - by sharing a side-by-side photo from one of your Android applications to the 3D Camera application

Open the 3D Camera gallery, go to the desired photo, press the share icon and choose to share with the 3D Camera application! Then you will be asked to choose the slideshow, ....

Check that your external screen is indeed 3D compatible. Then you need to go to the external screen's menu to activate 3D mode. This activation is generally not automatic. On some projectors this option is called DLP-Link

You probably have a Samsung and this comes from the Dex feature. To disable Dex, when the phone is connected to the screen, open the quick settings by swiping from the top of the screen. And disable the Dex icon by tapping on it.